Hop plant named ‘NZH063’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct hop plant is described. The new cultivar results out of selection from a population of seedlings derived from deliberate crossing ‘Cascade’ (seed parent; not patented) and tetraploid male selection 00.L123-168 (not patented). The new cultivar, ‘NZH063’, is characterised by having cones which are late-season maturing and having medium alpha acid content. The new cultivar is suitable for beer flavouring.

Genus and species of plant claimed: Humulus lupulus L.

Variety denomination: ‘NZH063’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar of hop, Humulus lupulus L., was created in the courseof a planned breeding program carried out at Motueka, New Zealand. Itwas selected from a population of seedlings derived from crossing‘Cascade’ (seed parent; not patented) and tetraploid male selection00.L123-168 (not patented). The cross was carried out in January 2012.Seeds of the cross were germinated and their seedlings were then raisedand planted in the field in the same location in November 2012. Theseedlings remained in the field for two seasons (2012-13 and 2013-14) toallow for agronomic and chemistry traits to be measured and/or assessed.The genotype, ‘NZH063’, was identified as having potential as a newcultivar. During the 2014-15 season it was clonally propagated usingsoft tip methods at Motueka, New Zealand. The resulting plants werefound to be true to type demonstrating that the characteristics of thenew cultivar ‘NZH063’ are stable and transmitted without change throughsucceeding generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct hop plant is described herein. The ‘NZH063’ cultivaris characterised by having cones which are late-season maturing, andmedium alpha acid content which has significant levels of farnesene inits essential oil profile and a high humulene caryophyllene ratio. Thenew cultivar is suitable for beer flavouring.

In 2014-15, ‘NZH063’ was clonally propagated using soft tip methods atMotueka, New Zealand. The resulting plants were found to be true to typedemonstrating that the characteristics of the new cultivar ‘NZH063’ arestable and transmitted without change through succeeding generations.

In 2015 it was decided to advance ‘NZH063’ due to its agronomic andchemistry properties for further testing including brewing trials.Further plants were propagated and a trial plot was planted in 2017-18.Brewing trials were conducted in the 2017 to 2020 seasons.

‘NZH063’ is maintained at Motueka, New Zealand, where it has undergoneobservations for uniformity. All plants have been found to be true totype, that is, no off types have been observed. ‘NZH063’ isdistinguished from its parent female parent, ‘Cascade’ as ‘NZH063’ haslate cone maturation while ‘Cascade’ has a very early cone maturation.‘NZH063’ has medium length cones that are medium ovate in longitudinalcross section while ‘Cascade’ has long cones that are narrow ovate inlongitudinal cross section. The pollen parent, 00.L123-168, is a maleand thus does not produce cones.

Under New Zealand growing conditions ‘NZH063’ is distinguished fromvarieties of common knowledge by the following characteristics: Whencompared to ‘HORT3829’ (patented; U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,985), ‘Wakatu™’(not patented), ‘Dr Rudi’ (not patented) and ‘Hersbrucker Pure’ (notpatented), ‘NZH063’ has cones that mature later. In addition, ‘NZH063’typically has more open cones than ‘HORT3829’, ‘Dr Rudi’ and‘Hersbrucker Pure’. The density of the foliage of the side shoot fromthe middle third of the plant of NZH063 is medium while the foliage of‘HORT3829’ and ‘Cascade’ is of sparse density and the foliage of Dr Rudiis dense. The main shoot of ‘NZH063’ has weak anthocyanin colorationwhile ‘Wakatu™’ has absent or very weak anthocyanin coloration. Whencompared to ‘HORT3829’, ‘Whakatu™’, ‘Cascade’ and ‘Dr Rudi’, which havean even distribution of laterals, ‘NZH063’ has a distribution oflaterals predominately in the top third.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the plant habit,cones, and leaves of the new cultivar as depicted in colours as nearlytrue as is reasonably possible to make the same in colour illustrationof this character. The plants shown in these photographs were six yearsold.

FIG. 1: ‘NZH063’ stipule.

FIG. 2: ‘NZH063’ cones.

FIG. 3: Upper and underside of ‘NZH063’ leaves.

FIG. 4: ‘NZH063’ whole plant.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of the new cultivar with colourterminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society ColourCharts (R.H.S.C.C.) 2001 edition. The specimens described were six yearsold and were grown at Motueka, New Zealand. The observations were madeover the 2019-2021 seasons.

-   Plant form and vigour: Mature plants had a normal growth type and    produced a yield (averaging 2.28 tonnes/ha) of late-season maturing    cones. The shape of the plant tended to be cylindrical to club    shaped with the head being high to very high volume. The main shoot    of a one year old plant had an average vine diameter half way up the    vine of 8.7 mm, and anthocyanin coloration was weak. Node pubescence    was weak. The average internode length was 246 mm.-   Laterals: The attitude of the laterals was spreading. The side    shoots from the middle third of the plant were medium in length,    averaged 51.8 cm, and produced a medium number of cones, an average    of 5.6 per node. The side shoots from the top third of the plant    were longer with an average length of 54.8 cm and produced an    average of 2.8 cones/node. There was an average of 6.9 nodes per    lateral in the middle third of the plant and an average of 6.3 nodes    per lateral in the upper third of the plant. Stipule pose is upright    and stipule colour is green 144C.-   Leaves: The leaves were lobed with predominantly five lobes. The    medium sized, medium blistered leaves were opposite with crenate    margins. The average leaf length was 151 mm and average width was    166 mm. The upper leaf surface colour was Green, 137A with medium    intensity. Venation type is palmate and venation colour is 144A.    Petioles have an average length of 85 mm, an average width of 4 mm    and the colour is near 60B.-   Foliage density: The density of the foliage of the side shoot from    the middle third of the plant for NZH063 was medium.-   Cones: Were medium in size and medium-ovate in shape in longitudinal    section; in cross section they were square in shape. The cone    average length was 46.7 mm and average width 21.9 mm. Bracts were    medium-large in size, with an average length of 21.1 mm and average    width 13.6 mm, Green in colour, near 145C. The cones were open and    the bract apex was short in length. Bracteole had an average length    of 16.2 mm and average width of 10 mm. The bracterole colour was    157B. Strigs were long, and had an average length of 34.7 mm, with    an average width of 3.7 mm. The colour of the strig was Green, near    145B.-   Physiological timing: Flowering commences mid-season in Motueka, New    Zealand around the 5-15 January. Harvest is late in the New Zealand    season, commencing mid- to late-March, under normal conditions.-   Chemistry profile: ‘NZH063’ has undergone extensive chemistry    profile testing. NZH063 has medium alpha acid levels around 9%, low    Beta acid levels around 4% and cohumulone levels around 32%.-   Use: Primarily flavouring and bittering ingredient for beer.-   Pest and disease: ‘NZH063’ does not appear particularly resistant or    susceptible to any particular pests or diseases known to afflict    Humulus lupulus.-   Hardiness: The plant cold hardiness according to the American zone    classification has not been determined.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct hop plant named ‘NZH063’, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 